Your Mental Health + The Global Pandemic
4 Simple Ways to Practice Good Mental Hygiene
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness, and this year is bound to be worse. Before the impact of the global pandemic, 1 in 5 Americans suffered from mental illness. This means that on average, most families are touched by mental illness, yet the stigma of identifying with mental illness and the lack of treatment accessibility causes two thirds of these people to go untreated.
At Chill, we want to help everyone live a less stressed, more mindful life and shatter the stigmas that prevent us from taking as much care with our mental health as we do with our physical well-being.
Work + Mental Health
Even before the pandemic, the US had a workplace mental health crisis. More than 60% of workers said their mental health affects their productivity, according to a survey by Mind Share Partners. 20% of employees experience severe loneliness and depression + other studies show that business executives + CEOs may actually suffer at more than double this rate. In fact, the workplace is now the fifth leading cause of death, ahead of Alzheimer’s + heart disease. In 2019 the World Health Organization estimated that depression + anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. Given the emotional toll of the pandemic, that loss will likely be much higher this year.
The Impacts of COVID-19 on Mental Health
While the Coronavirus has already taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, it will continue to negatively impact millions more. The general social isolation, financial uncertainty + mass unemployment, lack of regular exercise, sunlight, access to basic necessities + the uncertainty around our own physical safety will all undoubtedly impact our mental health.
Remote Working + Zoom Burnout
While it has helped many companies stay in business, remote working may not be a positive move for every worker, as many attempt to telecommute in hastily arranged home offices while simultaneously caring for their children.
Even before they were confined to their homes, 61% of American workers said they were lonely, according to a recent Cigna study. And the digital tools that are supposed to help us collaborate at work and feel more connected are causing anxiety as people battle an onslaught of Zoom calls, digital events, and online happy hours.
Financial Stress
Before the coronavirus, financial concerns were among the chief causes of stress for Americans, with more than half saying that thinking about their finances can make them feel anxious. Now, more than 30 million US workers are unemployed with many more facing the stress of not knowing if they may be next, or dealing with “survivor’s guilt” as their friends and coworkers disappear.
Physical Safety
While we are taking measures to stay as safe as possible, the stress + anxiety we are all facing can make us more susceptible to physical illness. Research dating back over 25 years has revealed that psychological stress increases susceptibility to illness. Prolonged or chronic stress can negatively impact the immune system by reducing the body's ability to defend against viruses and bacteria. The “essential” workers who are still working onsite through the crisis - including medical professionals + first responders, food-service and grocery workers, and even delivery drivers – are at even greater risk of physical + mental stress.
It May Get Worse Even When It Gets Better
In a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 19% of respondents said the current crisis has had a “major impact” on their mental health. When the medical crisis ends, a bigger mental health crisis will emerge. By the end of the pandemic, we will have seen friends and family who have struggled with their health or finances. We will know someone who has gotten sick or lost a job or their business.
Experts agree that even after the immediate coronavirus crisis has passed, the impact on employees’ psyche could be lasting. One report by researchers at Peking University projected that the mental health problems created by coronavirus could exceed the consequences of the COVID-19 epidemic itself. As a result, more people will struggle with substance abuse, interpersonal relationships and changes in sleep or eating patterns, all contributing to the worsening of mental health conditions.
So what can we do to stay mentally safe? Here are 4 simple but effective ways to practice good mental hygiene while dealing with all the stressors of the global pandemic.
Be Kind to Yourself + Others
Since March, New Zealand has been ahead of the rest of the world in making progress not only controlling the virus, but eliminating it all together. Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, has gotten much of the credit for these amazing results. Her leadership style, focused on empathy, has led to 88 percent of New Zealanders saying they trust the government to make the right decisions about addressing COVID-19. Prime Minister Ardern has, more than anything, been transparent and vulnerable as she has expressed to New Zealanders that the most important aspect to getting through the pandemic is to “be kind to each other.” We all can practice a little more kindness, awareness and compassion these days, especially with ourselves. And we can all try to be more transparent and honest with the people who depend on us for information.
Keep a Routine
When you examine the advice of professionals who focus on helping people maintain their mental health while in social isolation, including those who help astronauts and sailors on submarines, they all say the same thing - routine is king. Routines should be basic. They shouldn’t be over-planned or obsessively detailed down to the minute. That’s because the more rigid and detailed a plan is, the more likely it will add to your stress especially if something doesn’t go as planned.
Find Ways to Stay Connected
Many people struggling with mental health already feel socially isolated. The coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated this dynamic by making in-person therapy and counseling nearly impossible while also intensifying existing symptoms of depression + anxiety for some people and causing new symptoms for others. Maintaining a sense of connection with friends and loved ones, even if you can’t physically be together, is more important than ever.
Practice Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation isn’t about incense, chakras, dogmas or gurus. Just like you go to the gym to strengthen your muscles, Mindfulness Meditation strengthens the mind. It teaches those who practice it to focus on the present moment, breath by breath. It’s scientifically proven to be one of the most accessible and effective ways to improve anxiety + depression, reduce loneliness, and lower stress levels + insomnia while increasing cognition + productivity. Mindfulness Meditation has even been shown to be effective in treating psychological disorders, enhancing immune function, and in delaying disease progression for certain types of ailments. Start small, even just a few minutes, and get better at it as you practice. Don’t expect to be great at it at first — that’s why it’s called “practice.” And just like you wouldn’t expect to become physically fit by exercising only every so often, you won’t receive the full benefits of meditation until you make it a regular habit.
Group meditation has even better results. In fact, it’s as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy in overcoming stress and anxiety, but much more accessible. Companies like Apple and McKinsey & Co. have experienced increased sales performance and improved customer interactions by promoting mindfulness meditation, proving that what’s good for the mind is good for the bottom line.
Chill Can Help
More and more people and organizations have turned to us for help in living a less stressed, more mindful life. We are lucky to work with global corporations, schools and small startups in helping people practice good mental hygiene. And while we can’t congregate together in person, Chill Anywhere – our smartphone and desktop app - can help you feel less stressed and more connected anytime, anywhere.
We know that practicing the routines that lead to good mental health can feel daunting, especially in these times. At Chill, we believe small shifts in our daily routine add up to big changes. With Chill Anywhere you’ll meditate with top mindfulness + wellness instructors and each other. We’ve got you covered whether you’re a meditation newbie, Zen expert, or somewhere in the middle. You’ll have access to on-demand videos with mindfulness practices + instruction whenever you want or need, including customized live, instructor-led practices with friends or coworkers in order to drive engagement and strengthen a sense of inclusion and community.
We want to help you + your people address the mental health issues impacting your ability to be your best. We want to get through this pandemic together, both physically and mentally healthy. We want to help you live a little less stressed, more mindful life. It’s good for you.
Together, we will make it a little easier for your people to live less stressed, more mindful lives.
